Plasma therapy applied on Covid-19 patient in Chittagong

Doctors have applied Convalescent Plasma Therapy (CPT) on a Covid-19 patient for the first time in Chittagong.

The therapy was applied on Dr Samirul Islam, Associate Professor of Chittagong Medical College Hospital (CMCH) Orthopedics department, who is now undergoing treatment at the hospital for Covid-19. 

The physician was diagnosed with Covid-19 on May 15 and initially took treatment at home. However, as his condition deteriorated, he was admitted to the CMCH on May 21.

Later on Tuesday, plasma collected from the blood a patient, who recently recovered from Covid-19 infection, was transfused into the physician. 

CMCH Director Brig Gen SM Humayun Kabir told the Dhaka Tribune that 250ml plasma was given to the physician and his condition was comparatively well.

A medical team, led by Prof Dr Aniruddha Ghose, has been providing treatment to the physician.

Speaking to the Dhaka Tribune, Prof Dr Aniruddha Ghose said the plasma therapy was applied as oxygen saturation in the patient’s body had dropped to 90-92%.

“Now his condition is stable. His blood oxygen level is now between 95-97%. We are closely monitoring his condition,” said Prof Ghose.  

Hemoglobin is an element in the blood that binds with oxygen to carry it through the bloodstream to the organs, tissues, and cells of the body. Normal oxygen saturation is usually between 96% and 98%.

As there is no drug to treat Covid-19, doctors in multiple countries are using CPT – extracting blood plasma from an individual who has recovered from Covid-19 –  and transfusing it into a patient.

The blood from people who've recovered is called convalescent plasma. Plasma is the liquid portion of the blood.

Researchers hope that convalescent plasma can be given to people with severe Covid-19 to boost their ability to fight the virus.

It also might help keep people who are moderately ill from becoming more ill and experiencing Covid-19 complications.

China was the first country which used this therapy on ten patients under a clinical trial.